Self-locking switch.



F. L. HOWARD.

SELF LOCKING SWITCH.

AYPPLICQTION FILED NOV-4. 1914.

Patented June 22, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F- L. HOWHKD qwblmmoeo PHOT0-L!THO.. WASHINGTON, D. C

F. L. HOWARD. SELF LOCKING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 19M.

mmw PatentdJune 22, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F L. HoweRD THE NORRIS PETERS co.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON, D, v

tlhll A A SELF-LOCKING- SWITCH.

weaves.

Application filed November 4, 1914.

To all "1.0710177. it may concern Be it known that I, Fonnsr L. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clinton, in the county of Laurens and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Locking Switches, of which the following 1s a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to railway switches, and particularly to locking means therefor.

One object of my invention is the promsion of a switch so constructed that the points cannot be run through or split, a very great source of danger in switches as ordinarily constructed.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby switch points may be locked in either of their adjusted positions, said means operating upon the points and rails themselves, thus eliminating the locking of the switch points merely by the lever of the switch stand.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby switch points may be locked in either of their thrown positions and held in alinement with the adjacent ends of the rails to which they are thrown.

A further object of the invention is to provide in connection with butt switch points means whereby the switch points may be thrown and locked when they have arrived in alinement with the rails of either track. 7

Another object of my invention is the provision in connection with the locking means above described of a switch stand whereby the points may first be thrown and then the locks operated.

Further objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of my switch and point locking mechanism; Fig.

2 is a transverse section through the switch point the section being taken on the line of the shaft 13; Fig. 3 is a plan View, partly in section, showing one of the point rails; and the locking bolts; Fig. at is a fragmentary detail view of part of the switch stand, the point actuating shaft being in section; Fig. 5 is a plan View of the switch point, the casing of the stand and the mast being in section; Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic plan Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1915.

Serial No. 870,243.

view showing the application of my switch locking device to ordinary point switches.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and desig nated in all parts of the accompanying drawings by like reference numerals.

Referring to these drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, A designates a pair of rails belonging to one track and B a pair of rails belonging to an adjacent track diverging from the rails A. O designates the rails of a track and D the switch points, which in the instance shown are pivoted at their butt ends adjacent the ends of the rails C and are free to move at their free ends into or out of alinement with either pair of rails A or B. It will be understood that the points D may be pivoted in any suitable manner, and that I do not wish to limit myself to any particular mounting for the rails, the term pivoted being used to include any means for mounting the abutting ends of the rails The rails are connected to each other by rods or straps 2, as usual, and move over ties 3. One of these ties 3 is laterally extended and the tie 4 which supports the rails A and B is also laterally extended. Stops 5, 6 and 7 are disposed to engage the base flanges of the points D and limit the movement of the points in either direction. Mounted upon the opposite faces of each of the points D between the base flange and the head of the rail are a pair of longitudinally movable locking bolts or plates designated 8. Each of these plates is longitudinally slotted in its ends as at 9, and bolts or other suitable connecting members 10 are disposed through the rail andengaged in these slots, the bolts beingprovided with heads or nuts wider than the slots and with washers 11 disposed between the heads and the locking plates 8. The under edge of each of these plates at a poilnt intermediate of its ends is toothed as at 2.

Extending transversely across the pair of points and mounted in suitable bearings disposed beneath the points is the shaft 13. This shaft carries upon it two pairs of gear wheels 14 and 15, these toothed gear wheels engaging with the teeth 12 formed in the plates, there being one gear wheel for each of the plates 8. It is to be understood that the gear wheels are disposed on each side of the bearing member "16 which supports the shaft upon the under sides of the points D and that they thus act to hold the shaft from longitudinal movement relative to the points. The shaft 13' extends laterally to any desired extent and its end is squared as at 17- For the purpose of laterally shifting this shaft and with it the points D, and at the same time causing a rotation of the shaft after the points have been thrown, I provide the mechanism shown in Fig. 4. This mechanism includes a mast 18 rotatably mounted in a suitable supporting frame, as the frame of a switch stand, the lower end of the mast being provided with an outwardly extending arm 19, which is bifurcated at its ends to embrace the shaft 13. Mounted upon the shaft is a, collar 20 through which the shaft loosely passes, this collar being held in place upon the shaft and from longitudinal movement with re lation thereto by any suitable means, as for instance, the sleeve 21 and the fixed collar 22. Pivotally mounted upon the upper and under faces of the collar 20 are the links 23, which at their ends are pivotally connected to the extremities 24 of the arm 19. In order that all the strain of moving the switch points may not come upon the shaft 13 itself, I preferably connect the collar 20 to the web of the adjacent point D by the laterally diverging links 25, the inner ends of these links being connected to the face of the point rail at a point on each side of the cut away portion 26 of the base flange, this base flange being cut away, it will be understood, to accommodate the gear wheels 14 and 15.

Mounted upon the mast 18 in any suitable manner, but preferably pivotally connected thereto, for movement in a vertical plane, is an operating arm or lever designated 27. By shifting thislever in a horizontal plane, the mast 18 will be rotated, and this through the arm 19 will of course act to shift the point rails either into alinement with the rails A or with the rails B.

F or the purposeof rotating the shaft 13 to I mount upon the shaft 13 the arm 28.

v This arm 28 is bifurcated at one end to embrace the squared portion of the shaft 13 and is pivoted to it by a pin 29. Thus a r0- tary movement of the arm in a vertical plane will cause a rotation of the shaft, but

is in a lowered position, and then this arm 27 is raised, the link 30 will act to rotate the shaft 13 in a direction to cause the retraction of all four bolts 8 from engagement with the rails A or B, into alinement with which the point rails have previously been placed. After the actuating arm 27 has been raised, then a rotation of the actuating arm in a horizontal plane will cause the arm 19 to shift, shifting with it the shaft 13 and also shifting the point rails. A guide 32 is preferably provided upon which the shaft may be shifted, for sliding and rotary movement.

It is of course to be understood that I design to use any ordinary form of switch stand'wherein there is provided an actuating arm which is moved upward in a vertical plane to raise it out of locking engagement with the stand, and which is then rotated to throw the switch. I have shown, however, for this purpose, a switch stand having an upwardly extending outer casing 33 tapering toward its upper end. The upper end of this casing is scgmentally cut away as at 3 1- to an angular extent suilicient to permit the proper throw of the actuating lever 27. The casing is provided with limiting stops at opposite ends of the throw of the lever 27, these steps being formed by the edges of the casing 33 and also with pins or other like members 35 adapted to be received in a slot 36 formed in the handle 27 when the handle is in its lowered position. A locking device such as a padlock may be passed through the extremity of the locking projection 35 after the handle or lever is fully depressed, thus locking the handle in its depressed position and preventing any unauthorized throwing of the switch.

It will be seen that if the switch point has been thrown in one position and it is desired to throw it in the other position, the handle 27 is unlocked and raised. This acts to rotate the shaft 18. The rotation of the shaft 18 retracts the locking plates or bolts 8 entirely from engagement with the rails A or B when the handle has been raised to its full extent. It is then shifted horizontally and to the full extent of its movement which throws the switch points to the other pair of rails, the handle is again depressed, thus reversely rotating the shaft 13 and projecting the bolt plates, after which the handle is locked in position.

' It will be seen that my invention provides for locking the points positively to the rails, and that when the points are so locked it is impossible for a split switch to occur. Not only are the points locked to the rails, but they are locked in absolute alinement with the rails A or B so that unless the switch points have been fully thrown the switch have occurred because the switch points have not been fully thrown, either through carelessness on the part of the switch tender, or through ice, ballast or earth having accidentally become deposited in the path of movement of the switch points. This is particularly liable to occur where the switch points do not abut the rails but are thinned down so as to lie against the side faces of the rails. My device is equally applicable, however, to this latter construction, as is illustrated in Fig. 6, wherein E designates a pair of movable switch points coacting with the rails F and G. In this case the inner faces of the switch points are provided with the longitudinally shiftable locking plates or bolts 8, which in this instance are designated 8*, and these locking plates coact with abutments 87 disposed between the rails F.

It will be understood that in Fig. 6 the details of the switch stand construction are not shown, nor has it been thought necessary to more than indicate the shaft 13 whereby the plates 8 are operated, the mounting of the plates and the actuation by means of the shaft being exactly the same as in the former case.

WVhile I have illustrated in Fig. 6 my switch locking means as applied to a switch wherein the points are thinned down to lie flat against the sides of the main rails, I preferably use the form of switch shown in F 1, as thus all danger of splitting the switch is entirely obviated and furthermore, the points are held in their engagement with the main rails by means of two locks disposed one on each side of each point and engaged on each side of the rail with which the point is alined. Furthermore, in this form of switch the points will push off any ice, snow, earth or ballast which may accumulate in the path of travel of the points and thus clear themselves so that the points may positively close.

aving described my invention, what I claim is: 4

1. The combination with two pairs of main rails and a pair of switch points shiftable into alinement with either pair of main rails; of a longitudinally shiftable locking bolt mounted on each switch point and movable therewith and longitudinally thereof into or out of projected position and into engagement with the main rails, and unitary means for shifting the switch points and both of said bolts.

2. The combination with two pairs of main rails and a pair of switch points, shiftable into alinement with either pair of main rails, of a pair of longitudinally shiftable locking bolts mounted on each switch point and movable therewith and longitudinally thereof into projected position in engagement with the main rails, and unitary means for shifting the switch points and the lock ing bolts.

3. The combination with the point rails of a switch, of a locking bolt mounted be tween the head and base flange of the point rail for longitudinal movement to a projected position or to a retracted position, a shaft passing beneath the point rail and having engagement with the locking bolt to cause a projection or retraction of the locking bolt upon a rotation of the shaft, and unitary means for shifting the shaft transversely and rotating it.

4:- The combination with two pairs of main rails and a pair of switch points, of oppositely disposed locking bolts mounted for sliding movement on each side of the switch points in the head and base flange thereof, a shaft rotatably mounted beneath and upon the switch points and having engagement with the bolts to cause their projection or retraction upon the shaft being rotated, a rotatable actuating member having an arm operatively connected to the shaft and the switch points, whereby to cause transverse movement of the switch points upon the rotation of the member, and a lever operatively connected with the actuating member to rotate it upon a movement in one direction and movable independently in a plane transverse to the shaft, said lever being operatively connected to the shaft to rotate it upon a movement of the lever in a plane transverse to the shaft.

5. The combination with two pairs of main rails and a pair of switch points shiftable into alinement with either pair of main rails, of longitudinally shiftable locking bolts mounted on the switch points and transversely movable therewith, the under edges of said bolts being toothed, a shaft supported in bearings upon said switch points, toothed wheels mounted upon the shaft and engageable with the toothed edges of the bolts, means engaging the shaft with the switch points for unitary movement but permitting the independent rotation of the shaft, a switch stand, a rotatable mast therein, an arm extending from the mast and pivotally connected to the shaft to cause its transverse movement on rotation of the mast, an operating lever pivotally mounted upon the mast for vertical movement but rotating with the mast, an arm operatively connected to the shaft but projecting radially therefrom, and a link connecting said last named arm and the lever whereby an elevation or depression of the lever will rotate the shaft and a rotationof the mast will cause the transverse movement of the shaft and switch points.

6. The combination with two pairs of main rails and a pair of switch points shiftable with either pair of main rails, of a pair of longitudinally shiftable locking bolts being longitudinally slotted, bolts passing through said slots and through the Web of the point, and means for shifting the point and for simultaneously projecting both of said bolts into engagement on each side of 15 the main rail after the point has been shifted into engagement with the main rail.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

FOREST LOUIS HOWARD.

Witnesses:

J. D. BOLAND, L. D. MoCRARY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

